Disclaimer: No, I do not own Naruto.
A Cage of Icy Mirrors
"Ohhh Naruto-kun you're damn heavy!" I grumbled, shifting the unconscious boy into a more comfortable position on my back. Going training all night, honestly! I scowled, worried of what was to come. I sent Kita to find Zabuza and keep an eye on him. Her return means he's soon to strike again, that he's healed. I cringed slightly as Naruto's drool soaked my shoulder. You really are disgusting… Kita trotted along beside me watching Naruto's face and tilting her head to the side whenever he made a strange noise. Which he did quite a lot in his sleep.
"Momma!" Kita cried looking ahead. Finally, Tazuna's house! I picked up the pace, hoping to get some breakfast before the others scoffed it all. Tsunami-san should be an award winning chef with her cooking!
"I'm back!" I called, shifting Naruto once again and resisting the urge to drop him on the doormat.
"Ah, Kari-chan! I was getting a little worried. Come on, let's put Naruto to bed and give you a break" Tsunami said smiling. At least someone came to greet me. Inconsiderate team-mate's… I thought Tsunami was great; she was a good conversation and was very motherly. Duh Kari she's a mom. She greeted us, cooked our meals, cleaned up after us and did everything she could to make us comfortable. I appreciated it, unlike the rest of my team who just took it for granted. Well, Sakura and Kakashi had manners, but Naruto and Sasuke didn't.
"Ok, I leave Naruto in your hands. He's pushed his body to the limit, over doing it as usual. So he may not be able to move today at all" Kakashi explained to Tsunami before we left. Myself, Sakura, Sasuke and Tazuna were waiting patiently to get going.
"What about yourself, you're still recovering as well aren't you? And what about Kari-chan?" Tsunami asked. I smiled noticing she didn't ask about Sasuke; even though he was probably fully healed, Tsunami still thought he was rather rude.
"Do I look wobbly? I'll be ok and Kari well, I tried to make her stay behind but she refused" said Kakashi. I folded my arms and glared at him. A whole day of a snoring Naruto, are you kidding me? Sure I love the guy to bits and Tsunami and Inari have really grown on me, but you guys probably need me more.
"C'mon lets go!" cried Tazuna, starting to walk off.
"Ja ne Tsunami-san!" I called back waving. "Don't let Naruto cause you too much trouble!" she smiled and waved before closing the door and going to start a daily routine of cleaning the house.
"Hold on! What the heck is this?! What happened? Someone was here, someone got to them!" Tazuna cried hysterically. I looked in horror at the mass of unconscious bodies lying across the incomplete bridge. Some were groaning in pain while others lay silent. Kita looked up at me and whined in confusion.
"Okaa-san, nani?" her vocabulary wasn't very developed yet and she could still only say a few simple words. I didn't know how to explain to her what was going on. I scooped her up into my arms protectively when a chill ran down my spine. "Okaa-san?" I looked round at Kakashi meaningfully. The jonin noticed and tensed.
"Could it be...?" Kakashi asked. A sudden blanket of fog seemed to cover us and goose bumps spread over my arms. "This mist... SASUKE! KARI! SAKURA! GET READY!" Kakashi cried. Kita jumped to my shoulder as I pulled out a kunai. My eyes darted side to side as I stepped closer to Tazuna. "I knew he was still alive" Kakashi said. "He just couldn't wait for round two…"
"Kakashi-sensei its Zabuza isn't it! This is his hidden mist jutsu!" Sakura cried, her anxiety clear in her face.
"Sorry I kept you waiting Kakashi, I see you've still got them brats with you. That one's still trembling... pitiful" said Zabuza's voice mockingly. Clones surrounded us. I glanced at Sasuke to see he was indeed shaking, but it wasn't from fear,
"I'm trembling with... excitement" Sasuke said as a smirk spread across his face.
"You aren't having all the fun" I mumbled as a smirk spread across my face too. I hadn't been training my butt of trying to improve my taijutsu for nothing.
"Go on Sasuke, Kari" said Kakashi. We each took half out in seconds and landed in the middle back to back. The clones burst into water.
"Ooh you could see they were water clones huh? Those two brats are improving" said Zabuza. "Looks like you've got rivals Haku…" I tensed and looked round to see Zabuza and Haku side by side. I felt a horrible throbbing in my chest but pushed it aside. You knew it had to happen…
"So it seems" Haku said, unable to look at me he instead looked at Sasuke.
"Be careful of the girl, she seems different from the others" Zabuza warned. I inwardly huffed. You aren't exactly normal yourself.
"I noticed, when you fought Kakashi before, I sensed she had a strange aura."
"Well, well, so I had it right it was all just an act" Kakashi said folding his arms and staring at Zabuza's apprentice.
"An act?!" Tazuna cried.
"The cute little mask" Kakashi said.
"AAAAH!?" Sakura cried shocked.
"Big phoney, hn" Sasuke said. I had to hold in a snigger at how stupid Sasuke sounded when he said that.
"I guess that stuff about being a tracker ninja and protecting his village was just a bunch of bull" Tazuna said angrily.
"They must have been pulling scams like this for a long time" Kakashi said.
"He's got some nerve showing his face after that cheap trick!" Sakura cried scowling.
"I mean hiding behind a mask who does he think he's fooling?" Kakashi said. Sakura giggled at how our sensei was contradicting himself.
"Speak for yourself sensei" I said smirking at the masked jonin. He simply looked away with mock innocence as though he didn't have a clue what we were talking about. I wasn't too pleased at how they were speaking to Haku, but our friendship wasn't supposed to exist, we were never supposed to have met each other outside of battle.
I looked at Haku, feeling his stare. I started feeling a little light headed and placed a hand over my forehead. Sasuke glanced at me noticing my change of mood.
"That's it I'm taking him out, who does he think he's fooling, hiding behind that mask like some kind of clown?" Sasuke said.
"Sasuke-kun you're so cool!" Sakura cooed in admiration.
"Are you gonna talk or fight!" I growled, surprising my raven-haired team-mate.
"Seems the girls got the right idea" Zabuza commented. I ignored him, focusing on trying to relieve my headache. Haku span into a whirlwind and headed for Sasuke.
"What's this!?" Sasuke cried. I appeared in front of him blocking Haku's needle with my kunai. "Kari?" I ignored him; my eyes locked with Haku's, his mask almost transparent to my eyes.
"Sakura! Cover Tazuna and stay close to me!" Kakashi cried. Sasuke rushed past me and went for Haku, they attacked one another blocking every attack the other made.
"We want the bridge builder, not you. If you back down I won't have to kill you" Haku said softly. My heart constricted painfully again. He was doing this on orders, he doesn't want to hurt us.
"Save it!" Sasuke said smirking.
"You're making a mistake, you won't be able to keep up with my speed" Haku warned, trying to knock sense into the cocky boy.
"I've gained two keen advantages" said Haku.
"Yeah, what are they?" Sasuke asked, confident he'd be able to overcome them with his own power.
"First, we're surrounded by water. Second, I've blocked one of your hands, therefore you only have one hand to protect yourself" Haku said. He did hand signs with one hand. The air seemed to become colder around us.
"Kita, listen to me. You are to stay with Tazuna-san" I said softly, looking into her baby blue eyes sternly. "Be careful, ok?" I said, my eyes softening.
"Hai Momma" she replied, rushing to Tazuna.
"Secret jutsu: A thousand needles of death" Haku cried. My attention darted to the two boys as I felt a build up of chakra.
"SASUKE! MOVE!" I shouted desperately as Haku stamped his foot on the ground causing water to fly through the air.
"SASUKE-KUN!" Sakura shouted worried. The water formed into razor sharp senbon made of ice.
"Huh? He vanished!" said Haku. I glanced up at the same time Haku did. Sasuke threw shuriken at him and then appeared behind him. He blocked Sasuke's punch and he narrowly dodged Sasuke's kunai. Sasuke kicked him in the face sending him sliding back to Zabuza. Sasuke then landed next to me. I had let out a barely audible gasp and Sasuke looked at me confused.
"That… was pretty good" I said, covering up my concern for the enemy.
"Hn. Thought you were quicker huh? Now what else are you wrong about?" Sasuke said cockily at Haku. I wanted to scold him for being so up himself, but the current situation stopped me.
"You made a big mistake insulting these ninja and calling them brats, it's just guaranteed to bring out Sasuke's attitude. He's the best young male fighter of Konohagakure no sato and Sakura here is our sharpest mind" Sakura flushed with pleasure and pride. "And of course, our number one, hyperactive, knucklehead ninja, is Uzumaki Naruto" said Kakashi.
"And the girl?" Zabuza said glancing at me.
"Hm, Kari is certainly interesting. She's the most loyal here, and a mixture of the three. She's still a bit of a mystery" said Kakashi. I glared at him. Zabuza chuckled.
"Haku if we keep going like this we'll be the victims instead of them. Get on with it!" said Zabuza.
"Hai" Haku replied. A blue chakra appeared coming off him.
"What's that?" Sasuke mumbled, confusion shining in his onyx eyes.
"I'm sorry it's come to this" Haku said.
"Uh it's so cold" Sasuke said, barely holding in a shudder. I coughed. The cold was making my lungs sting. I shivered violently. I had always been sensitive to temperature change.
"Kari, are you ok?"
"Worry about yourself all you'll die!" I hissed. Sasuke seemed slightly offended as rushed toward his opponent. "Wait! Sasuke, no! Stay away from him!" Haku did a hand sign and out of nowhere rectangles of ice appeared around us.
"Secret jutsu: Crystal Ice Mirrors!" Haku cried. There were now large mirrors surrounding us in a dome shape. The mirrors glowed.
"What is that? How does it work?" Kakashi asked shocked. Haku melted into a mirror.
"They're mirrors! But? How?" Sasuke cried. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Kakashi running towards the mirrors, but Zabuza blocked him.
"If you enter this fight you fight me. Your boy and girl have no chance against this jutsu, they're finished" said Zabuza. Images of Haku appeared in each and every one of the mirrors.
"Now we'll begin and I'll show you what speed really means" said Haku lifting senbon. He threw it at us. One hit each of Sasuke's shoulders. I got three in the back. I held back a cry at the sudden pain and glanced worriedly at Sasuke.
"SASUKE! KARI!" Kakashi cried. The next thing I knew, senbon were flying everywhere, mercilessly raining down on us. We were desperately trying to but there was just too many. One hit Sasuke's hand and in reflex he let go of his kunai, causing it to fly out the dome.
"SASUKE-KUN! KARI!" Sakura cried from outside Sasuke was on his knees, curled up into a ball, holding his head trying to protect himself. I pulled him into me trying to shield him with my body.
"Just try to help them and I'll kill the other two in a heartbeat!" Zabuza cried, Kakashi had probably heard our distress and tried to help us. Sasuke pulled me towards him, his hands grasping hold of my shirt as he tried to bear the pain. I had a steady flow of blood coming from my mouth. Blood ran from my deeper wounds, I could feel my bangs sticking to my face from the blood from the cuts on my cheeks. My whole body ached from the various needles sticking out of me,
"K-Kari!" Sasuke cried as a needle went straight through me. Unable to cry out I just held onto him tighter trying to protect him. The blood continued to lightly dribble onto my mouth, dripping onto the Uchiha symbol on his shirt.
"I'm sorry I can't stay with you, forgive me" Sakura's distant voice said.
"I understand, go now" said Tazuna. I could hear the sound of running footsteps.
"Sakura!" Kakashi cried. No, no Sakura-chan don't come, he's too strong, he'll hurt you too…
"Take this!" she cried throwing it. Haku reached out the mirror and grabbed it. "He caught it!" Sakura cried. The needles stopped, Haku distracted. I let go of Sasuke, slumping slightly, wincing as the needles were pushed in further.
"Kari stay with me!" he cried taking in the blood on my body. Sasuke fell to his knees.
"Why did you protect me you baka! You're weaker than I am; you're not even healed yet!" As harsh as he sounded I knew it because he was worried. As cold as he appears he does care about his comrades.
"Eh…You do enough for me" I said softly. "Besides you always look so superior, vulnerability doesn't suit you." My fingers curled round a senbon and I gave it a little tug. No! No pulling out! It stings!!
A loud boom caused me to jump out of my skin. A large amount of smoke appeared, blowing inside the dome of mirrors. I coughed, trying to fan the smoke away with my hand.
"Who is it?" I heard Sakura ask.
"Number one, hyperactive, knuckle head ninja" said Haku. I smiled as hope swelled in my chest.
"UZUMAKI NARUTO IS HERE! DATTEBAYO!" Naruto loud obnoxious voice hollered. No doubt about it, it was…
"Naruto!" I cried, my eyes lighting up, just knowing that everything was going to be all right now, we couldn't possibly lose.
"HA! Now that I'm here everything will be all right!" Naruto cried happily. All my pain seemed to disappear and I couldn't care less about the stupid grin plastered on my face.
"Naruto!" Sakura cried.
"You know in stories, where the hero usually shows up at the last minute and kicks butt? Well that's what I'm gonna do right now dattebayo!" Naruto cried.
"God bless him" I said with a slight laugh. With Naruto, I always became optimistic. It was his gift to give people courage.
"Uh that brat again…" said Zabuza. Sasuke gave Naruto a 'Shut up you freaking baka' look while I went into a light giggling fit.
"YOSH! YOU'RE HISTORY! KAGE BUNSIN NO JU--!"
"IIE!" Kakashi shouted as Zabuza threw shuriken at Naruto. I stood up and rushed towards the edge of the mirror. "Naruto move!" Kakashi cried. I wouldn't be able to make it in time my hand reached towards Naruto, his eyes wide.
"HAKU-KUN!" I screamed. Haku threw senbon, pinning the shuriken to the side of the bridge stopping them from touching Naruto.
"They didn't get him" Sakura cried in surprise. I sank to my knees, relief washing over me.
"The weapons cancelled each other out, amazing! Now that's what I call lucky!" Tazuna cried.
"Naruto what do you think you're doing are you crazy!" Sakura shrieked, rounding on the blonde boy.
"This is a battle not a talent show! Don't let your opponent see your jutsu! The shinobi's art is deception always keep the enemy guessing! Even when doing a single jutsu, a ninja must distract their opponent, catch them off balance and out manoeuvre them! You just turn yourself into a human target when you enter a battle like that!" Kakashi shouted.
"AAAAH! GOMENASAI!! I WAS JUST TRYING TO RESCUE EVERYBODY!!" Naruto screamed.
"But there's another mystery here" said Kakashi, looking round at Haku.
"Haku what do you doing listening to that girl!" Zabuza shouted.
"Zabuza, this boy, let me fight him my own way please" Haku said softly.
"BRING IT ON!" Naruto cried.
"Hn… So you want me to leave this to you? Is that it Haku? As usual you're to soft..." Zabuza said.
"Forgive me" said Haku.
"I'm warning you! One way or another I'm going to rip off that mask and tear you apart!" Naruto cried pointing at Haku. Kakashi took a step forward.
"Don't even think about it! You know the score Kakashi, if you go after Haku, I go after the bridge builder" said Zabuza. He chuckled evilly. "Relax Kakashi, sit back and enjoy the show, let's see how they do, one on one."
"That mask! And that bogus story! You were with Zabuza all along! You think you can get away with a stunt like that!" Naruto cried accusingly.
"Sumimasen, but as your sensei said, deceiving your opponent, catching them off guard, that is the art of the shinobi" Haku said. "Please don't take it personally."
Sasuke threw a kunai at Haku, hoping to catch him off guard. He leant back slightly and the kunai missed him by an inch. Naruto looked through the ice and shock and recognition shone in his azure eyes.
"Sasuke? Kari-chan?"
"I haven't forgotten about you. Not for an instant. Some warriors accept defeat gracefully, they know when they are beaten, others, do not. So be it, lets finish our battle then! To the death!" Haku said. I moved in front of Sasuke protectively. Haku hesitated, but then walked into the mirror.
"Hey! Where are you going!?" Naruto cried a slight whine in his voice. I had to force back a smile, annoyed Naruto had that effect on me.
"It's all right Naruto, we'll have our fight next" Haku said. Sasuke reached for a kunai.
"I'm behind you" Haku said, appearing in the mirror behind us. Images of Haku appeared on every mirror again. Senbon showered down on us again. Like before I pulled Sasuke into me shielding me as much as I could. We went flying back.
"SASUKE-KUN! KARI-CHAN!" Sakura cried in horror.
"KARI-CHAN!" Naruto cried. I coughed violently. Some senbon had embedded themselves into my chest. Sasuke held his shoulder.
"Sasuke, Kari, Naruto, think! You have to attack from the inside and outside at the same time!" Kakashi cried. Of course! If Naruto attacked from the outside and me and Sasuke attacked from the inside… We could do it!
"Hey! I snuck in here to save the both of you! Pretty cool move huh!?" A voice whispered into my ear. With a shriek I grabbed hold of Sasuke. Sasuke raised his fist glaring at Naruto with unsurpassed rage.
"NARUTO! DON'T DO THAT!" I cried, still shaken from the shock of being snuck up on.
"Naruto… you sneak up on your enemy, not your ally…" Kakashi sighed.
"AGH! YOU'RE A COMPLETE LOSER! YOU'RE A SHINOBI! THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU MOVE!" Sasuke shouted enraged at his fellow team-mate.
"ANATA HA NANIMO MONDAIDESU KA?! YOU SHOULD THANK ME FOR COMING IN HERE TO SAVE YOU AND KARI-CHAN!" Naruto shouted back. What's your problem? Now's not really the time dear little voice inside my head…
"Arigatou Naruto-kun" I said, Naruto grinned at me.
"Naruto if we're both inside here grrr! FORGET IT! I've had it with your mistakes!" Sasuke cried.
"AND I'VE HAD IT WITH YOUR ATTITUDE! DATTEBAYO!" Naruto retorted.
"IM GONNA BANG THE BOTH OF YOUR HEADS TOGETHER!" I shouted. Naruto scooted a safe distance away from Sasuke.
"THAT'S IT! I'm gonna destroy these mirrors right now!" said Sasuke doing hand signs.
"WHAT THE HELL? YOU'RE ATTACKING WITH ME STILL HUGGING YOU?!" Wait why am I hugging him anyway? Oh yeah Naruto scared the crap out of me by sneaking up on us and ruining our plan.
"Katon!" Sasuke began.
"Wait a minute! What attack are you using?!" Naruto cried.
"These mirrors are made of ice, how do you destroy ice? Figure it out!" Sasuke cried. "Goukakkyu no jutsu!" he cried blowing a huge ball of fire.
"YOU GO ALL WARM AND FUZZY!" I cried in delight. When he blew fire, his body practically radiated heat. Inside this ice cage it's absolutely freezing. Therefore, I am not going to let go because he is lovely and warm. Well I wouldn't exactly say he's lovely, but he's warm, and right now, to my half-frozen self, that's what mattered.
"THAT DIDN'T DO ANYTHING AT ALL!" Naruto shouted, pointing at the unfazed mirrors. Well he probably made it a little warmer.
"You'll need much more heat than that to melt this ice" Haku said.
"Kari why are you still hugging that creep?" Naruto asked.
"Because he's nice and warm and I'm cold! Look—" I said. Sasuke's glare cut me off. "Nani?! It's true! Besides if Naruto joins our huddle we'll be warmer" Haku raised his senbon. "KUSO! NARUTO! SASUKE GET DOWN! I CAN'T PROTECT YOU BOTH!" I cried. Senbon flew from everywhere sending all three of us flying. We hit the floor hard, knocking the air from our lungs.
"Where is he? Where's the needle attack coming at us from?! Are they clones?!" Naruto cried. I threw up blood. "KARI-CHAN!" Naruto cried. That smack to the back didn't do my lungs any good, there was a sharp pain in the left one which made me worry my fractured rib may have punctured it. Which is very, very bad in this situation. "We've got to find the real one which one is it!?" Naruto cried desperately.
"Look into every mirror as hard as you like, you'll never learn the secret" Haku said. I glared at him.
"OH YEAH?! KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!" Naruto cried.
"No don't!" Sasuke cried, but it was too late and Naruto was already going to attack.
"A hundred mirrors, a hundred of me will smash them all! Then I'll find where you really are!" Naruto cried. Haku's flew between mirrors attacking the Naruto's. The clone's burst into smoke, leaving the real Naruto to fall onto me.
"These mirrors only reflect my image, allowing me to transport at light speed. Through my eyes, you appear to be moving in slow motion" Haku said.
"I knew it! It's a bloodline trait! Kekkei Genkai!" Kakashi cried from outside. I strained my ears, hoping to pick up a clue on how to defeat him. I heard Zabuza laugh.
"Kekkei genkai what is it?" Sakura asked.
"It's like my Sharingan, it has to be in your blood, you can't learn it, in your genetic code passed down from generation to generation within a single clan" Kakashi said.
"But that means..." said Sakura worriedly.
"Hai, even I can't copy that jutsu" Kakashi said. "There's no way to destroy it, and no way to stop him…"